Thursday, August 13, 2015

Do I Need a Living Will (ADHC)?

Yes, everyone should have a living
will. This legal document allows you to set-up guidelines for your healthcare in
the event you can't make the decisions yourself. A living will, durable power of
attorney for health care, and
advance directive for health care (ADHC) are all the same document. Since 2007,
Georgia has combined all of these documents into the ADHC. bechtold-law.blogspot.com.

"You have the right to control
all aspects of your personal care and medical treatment, including the right to
insist upon medical treatment or direct that medical treatment be withheld or
withdrawn. If you cannot (or do not want to) communicate your health care
decisions for yourself, you have the right to choose someone to make health
care decisions for you. You also have the right to state your treatment
preferences if you have a terminal condition or are in a state of permanent
unconsciousness. The Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care Act gives you an
opportunity to choose someone to make health care decisions on your behalf and
to make a clear expression of your decisions regarding health care if you are
in a terminal condition or state of permanent unconsciousness by executing an
advance directive for health care." www.gabar.org.

Georgia has a standard ADHC form
anyone can use. The form and instructions for how to execute the document can
be found in this handout from Georgia Department of Human Services. aging.dhr.georgia.gov.